


Turning Point

by bgidget



Category: Teen Wolf (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Romance, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-05
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-02-24 04:58:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2569016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bgidget/pseuds/bgidget
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Allison may have been meant to die in battle at Eichen House, but a new addition to the pack isn't about to let that happen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Turning Point

The words on the car window clearly read ‘Don’t find me’, and yet here they all were at Eichen House fighting off a disobedient army of Oni demons. Isaac swept his claws at them, recovering quickly each time he took a hit. Kira went at them like an expert with her katana. Allison fired arrow after arrow, though more often than not the arrows’ shafts were sliced in half by the Oni’s own swords. Kol, the newest and least trusted of the group, stayed on the edges of the battle mostly keeping to himself and enjoying the show the others put on. If he’d really wanted to, he knew he could have taken out the whole damn army, but he didn’t really feel like he needed to. The others were struggling, but they were still alive. That was all that mattered, wasn’t it?

But then it all took a turn for the worse. Allison fired her last arrow in an attempt to save Isaac from a certain beheading and this one was different. It hit one of the Oni directly in the chest and a golden green sort of glow shone from the wound. Before they knew it, the Oni vanished. Allison had killed it. She was victorious and her smile showed that she knew it. The fight wasn’t over yet, though, and in her moment of being pleasantly distracted one of the Oni rushed her, plunging its sword through her chest. Her smile was gone in an instant, quickly replaced with a shocked expression. Allison’s bow fell to the ground in what seemed like slow motion. The demon retreated, leaving Allison to fall to her knees, and the others like him vanished in puffs of smoke. The amused expression on Kol’s face was gone and everyone looked on in horror, realizing that it was a mortal wound their friend had just suffered.

Scott slipped through an opening in the chain link fence and caught Allison in his arms as she went limp and crumpled weakly to the ground. Her breath came in shallow, rapid gasps as he held her in his arms. She didn’t have long.

“Did you find her? Is Lydia okay?” Allison swallowed, tasting blood in the back of her mouth. Scott nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off as Kol stepped up to the couple, crouching slightly.

“Easy enough to fix.” The vampire bit his wrist and, without asking for permission, held the open wound to Allison’s mouth. She was too weak to show how repulsed she was and she tried to shake her head, but he kept his wrist pressed to her mouth. Allison knew what the bestiary said about vampires. Their blood could heal terrible injuries, but if a person died with that blood in their system they would be transformed into a vampire themselves. It wasn’t something she wanted to risk, but she could hardly fight. She was weak; bleeding out onto the pavement of the lot outside of Eichen House. She couldn’t push Kol away. Not when her strength was diminishing by the second. Every time she opened and closed her eyes, even that simple act became harder and harder. It seemed it was too late for even Kol’s little miracle cure to take effect. Allison let her eyes close for the last time, her entire body going limp in Scott’s arms.

“No.” Scott didn’t realize he was crying until he felt the wet tears streaming down his cheeks. “Allison, no, don’t...” His hand found hers and it was already surprisingly cold. Everyone around them stared, none of them willing to accept that Allison was gone. Kol, though, didn’t seem too broken up about it.

“Crying doesn’t become you, mate.” He smirked at Scott who clenched his jaw in response. If he hadn’t been holding Allison’s body he would have lunged at the vampire, as unwise as the move might have been.

“She’s dead. It didn’t work. Don’t you get it, Kol? She’s gone.” His voice was tight and tense with anger and he glared at Kol with surprising ferocity. Kol chuckled a little and rose to his feet.

“I suppose that depends on your definition of ‘dead’.” He smoothed out his shirt and took a step back from the crumpled heap that was Allison. Kira had started to cry quietly and it seemed that everyone was already grieving. Everyone but Kol.

In spite of everything that had happened, Allison’s eyes slowly reopened. The small bit of movement went unnoticed at first. It was when Allison sat up that they took notice. Her movement was slow, as if she was waking up from a long slumber and still lethargic from sleep. If everyone had been quiet before in their grief, now they were absolutely dead silent. Some looked on in shock, others with their expressions showing gratitude. 

At first, Allison said absolutely nothing. She merely lifted her arm so that she could wipe away the blood smeared around her mouth. Scott pulled back so that he wouldn’t hinder her movement. His assumption was that she was weak from having just healed and so he tried to help her up. She gently pushed him aside and stood up on her own. Allison’s expression was just as disbelieving as those around her.

“I believe a ‘thank you’ is due.” Kol smirked at her, watching her carefully. Newly made vampires were a curiosity and therefore interesting to him. At least for a while. Then they became needy and a nuisance and that was when he usually bailed on them. He wanted to stick around this time, though. Curiosity overwhelmed him and he found himself wondering what kind of vampire Allison Argent would become. She was already used to hunting things, but now she wouldn’t need a bow and arrows to fight her prey.

Allison stared at Kol for a long time as if it was all slowly being processed in her mind. Her gaze shifted occasionally to each of her friends, making sure that none of them had been injured in the fray, but it always found its way back to Kol. Slowly, she walked towards him, narrowing the space between them to a mere foot or so. She stared at him intensely. Finally, she raised her hand and slapped him. He turned his head as her hand struck his cheek. It didn’t sting that much, but he raised his own hand to touch the spot she’d hit.

“Admittedly not the response I was expecting.” His eyebrows raised slightly, but the smirk remained. Allison glared at him as if she could kill him with a look alone.

“What have you done to me?” Her tone of voice was fierce and full of anger. Allison stepped even closer to Kol, practically close enough to touch him without even trying. He held his ground, not wavering or showing any sign of regret. He definitely wasn’t going to apologize and wasn’t going to back down or admit that he’d done anything but what needed to be done. The anger that Allison showed didn’t affect him at all. If anything he was slightly amused by her fire. It took a lot to get a response from Kol. He wasn’t easily impressed by anyone.

“Brought you back to life. Gave you strength beyond anything you ever imagined. Ended your friends’ suffering. Take your pick.” He wasn’t even looking at her anymore. His eyes were focused on a spattering of blood that colored his white dress shirt, looking slightly annoyed knowing that the stain would never come out. His distraction only fueled Allison’s anger further. She shoved him partly because she was furious with him and partly because she wanted his full attention.

“You never thought to ask?? To find out if that’s what I wanted??” Even as she shoved him with her full strength, Kol barely moved an inch. His amusement with the situation was fading and becoming something closer to annoyance.

“To be honest, darling, I didn’t have enough time to print out a waver for you to sign. You had seconds left. Most people would be grateful to have a second chance at life.” His tone became tenser and betrayed his relatively calm expression. Kol couldn’t seem to hide his displeasure at Allison’s response to the gift he’d given her.

For a time, the others in the Eichen House lot gave the two of them space and remained quiet observers during the spat, but Scott wouldn’t let the fight go on any longer. He stepped up behind Allison and put his hands on her shoulders.

“Hey, it’s okay.” He assured her in a calm voice. “We’ll get through this.” Gently, he pulled her back, away from Kol, and slowly turned her to face him instead. Scott pulled her closer to him and hugged her gently, still afraid that she might be in pain from the injury she’d suffered prior to being turned. 

Allison wrapped her arms around Scott and buried her face in his shoulder, crying quietly. To her this was a fate worse than death. She’d seen what her mother had done when she had been turned into something not human. It was undoubtedly what hunters like her grandfather Gerard would expect Allison to do now. Still, she wasn’t sure that’s what she wanted. She wasn’t sure that she was ready to leave this world just yet. 

Kol looked on at the two of them with an indecipherable look on his face. He didn’t like what he was feeling, a strange mix of bitterness and envy. He was the one who had saved her. He was the one who deserved a little bit of gratitude. It didn’t seem right to him, but he knew better than to interrupt. Ordinarily he would have shrugged all of it off and abandoned the newly sired vampire, leaving them to fend for themselves and learn about their new life on their own, but it was different. This was Allison, one of a rare few who he’d respected even when she was human. No, he’d stay and be as patient as he could manage. He’d teach her. Then she’d thank him. He was sure of it.


	2. Moving In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being turned, Allison finds herself homeless and at Kol's mercy.

“This is entirely your fault, you know that?” Allison shot an icy glare at Kol as she walked through the door, a heavy duffel bag slung over her shoulder. Kol smiled and shrugged, closing the door behind her. 

“I’m fairly certain that could be true for a lot of things. You’ll have to be more specific if you want me to know what you’re talking about.” Turning, Kol faced Allison and looked at her expectantly for an answer. If she was going to go around placing blame on him, he’d like to know what it was all for.

She rolled her eyes emphatically and dropped the heavy duffel bag to the floor with a soft thud. “Me having to live here. It’s your fault.” Allison folded her arms across her chest, still glaring at Kol.

“Now that’s not true. Your father was the one who kicked you out. But if you want to be upset with me, there’s always the Motel 8 on the outskirts of town.” At that remark Allison scowled. She’d been resistant to everything Kol had done since that night he turned her into a vampire. When he’d shown her how to feed, she resisted. When he showed her how to compel people and alter their memories, she resisted. Now that she’d been forced out of her home and into Kol’s it was no surprise that she put up resistance to that, as well. 

It was true that her father had kicked her out, but Allison had reasoned that it was still Kol’s fault. Chris Argent had given his daughter an ultimatum - Learn how to feed without killing people or find a new place to live. She supposed it wasn’t the harshest way to deal with the situation. Chris could have killed Allison and she would have understood his motivations. With bloodless corpses turning up on a weekly basis, he couldn’t simply deny that his daughter was a dangerous creature that had to be dealt with. As a hunter he’d killed all sorts of things. He was hardened by grief and by the life he’d had to lead, but he still couldn’t manage to eliminate his daughter from the picture. Kicking her out of their apartment was the only way he could think to punish her.

How was any of that Kol’s fault? Kol had taken Allison under his wing, which ordinarily would have been a good thing and something she was grateful for, but he didn’t teach her control. He taught her how to lose herself in a kill and how to exploit people with the power of compulsion. She was determined that all of that would end tonight.

“I’m staying with you.” She let out a huff of breath. “And you’re going to teach me control.” Her voice was steel. Cold, unbreakable metal that even Kol’s charms couldn’t melt through. When Allison was determined there was no stopping her and now that she was a vampire that was especially true.

“You say that like you’re the one in charge of things, darling.” A crooked, mischievous smile formed on his face. Kol gave a nod past the foyer of the house to the living room. “Let’s sit and talk about this.” Without waiting for a reply, he walked from the foyer into his living room, a vast space furnished tastefully. As Allison followed behind him she let her eyes wander all over the room. It was a lovely place, Kol’s house. Though technically it wasn’t really his house at all. He’d told Allison once about how he’d breezed into town, spotted a house he liked, and taken it from the owners by compelling them to simply sign over ownership to him. There were perks to being a vampire. Allison was caught between being disgusted and being awestruck over the story when he’d told it to her. It wasn’t just bragging on his part, but also incentive. He wanted her to know what she was capable of, what she would have if she learned to control her gifts. Even Allison knew the intent behind the story.

She slung her duffel bag off of her shoulder and set it down on one end of a couch, then taking a seat on the other end. Kol circled around, standing behind a table with glasses and a crystal decanter half-full of some kind of amber liquor. “A drink before we begin?” Allison shook her head, looking as unimpressed as she could manage. He poured himself a glass of the liquor, then moving to take a seat near the couch in an overstuffed leather armchair. There was a brief silence with him just sitting there, idly swishing the liquid around in his glass.

“Well?” Allison finally broke the silence, leaning forward slightly looking almost combative in her expression and mannerisms. It didn’t intimidate Kol. He had to do his best to stifle a laugh. Allison’s eyes narrowed in response, but she stayed quiet, waiting for him to speak.

“I simply don’t understand what’s wrong with what I’ve _been_ teaching you, Allison. Your needs are all being met.” He sipped at his drink. “Now that even includes housing. So, tell me. What is the problem with the way things are being done right now?” His eyebrows raised slightly as he watched her, waiting for her answer. Kol really was curious. Perhaps it was because it had been such a long time since he’d been human and for Allison it had only been a month. He suspected that she still clung to her humanity even as he saw her tear into the throats of human beings to feed the insatiable hunger of a newly made vampire.

“I don’t want to be a killer.” Allison said, trying to keep her voice even to hide the disgust she felt for herself. “I don’t want to be a monster.” A tiny sigh escaped her lips and she slouched in her seat, leaning back and resting her head on the soft cushion behind her. This was exactly why Kol had been met with anger when he’d first turned Allison. She hadn’t wanted to become _this._ This creature that only moved around in darkness. This monster that took the lives of innocent humans just to sate its hunger. More than anything Allison wanted to control her thirst. She wanted to feed without killing. For a vampire like Kol it was no big feat. He could do that anytime he wanted. Allison was a fumbling infant in the scheme of things, though, and she only knew what she’d been taught. Now she needed her sire to teach her how to avoid killing everything she touched.

It was hard to say what Allison expected, but she hadn’t expected Kol to chuckle. She lifted her head with a sharp jerk and stared at him angrily. He just held up his hand and shook his head, the laughter dying down.

“You’re about the furthest thing from a monster there is, love. I’ve never told you what a ripper is, have I?” Allison shook her head, her eyebrows just slightly wrinkled and a curious look on her face. “Well,” He began again. “A ripper is a vampire that kills for the sake of killing. It’s brutal, really. I’ve only seen a few in my time. The things I’ve seen you do don’t even come close to that sort of messy violence.” With that, Kol took another drink.

“But I’m still killing people.” Allison objected, though the anger on her face had softened a bit. Not being a ripper was actually a little comforting to her. “I don’t want to kill, Kol. I just want to do what is necessary to survive.” There was a brief silence. She moistened her lips with her tongue and sighed. “Please. I’m asking for your help. I don’t have anyone else to go to.”

It seemed to occur to Kol that she was right. She had no one else to go to for this kind of assistance. He let out a sigh of his own and shook his head. “I suppose I could help with that.” Even he couldn’t believe what he was saying. He was usually a _my way or the highway_ sort of person. Kol suspected that if this was anyone but Allison he would have pointed them to the door and been done with them. It was something he couldn’t quite put a name to, but it made her special. She wasn’t just some new, random vampire. There wasn’t a lot in the world that really meant anything to Kol, but there was something in Allison that he liked, maybe even respected. For that reason alone he would teach her control.

Allison looked incredibly relieved. She closed her eyes for a second or two, silently thanking her lucky stars that Kol hadn’t outright refused her. At the moment he was all she had. It was her, Kol, and her duffel bag of belongings. It was less than she was used to having. She was used to having the pack, her family, her self-respect, but that had all disappeared when she’d become a creature of the night. Scott and Isaac and even Lydia were nervous around her, so she’d been avoiding them. The only one who didn’t seem skittish in her presence was Kol. That was why she’d turned to him when she needed a place to stay and not her banshee best friend.

“For now let’s focus on getting you moved in.” When Allison opened her eyes she saw him smiling. Not that cruel smirk she’d seen playing on his lips so often, but a real smile. There was something soothing about this expression and so Allison met it with a smile of her own. “I had a room made up with you in mind.” Kol set his glass on an end table and rose to his feet, giving a nod in the direction of a staircase so that Allison would know to follow him. She stayed close behind, wondering how he’d had a room made up for her in the short time he’d had. She’d only called him a half an hour before arriving at his doorstep. Sure, it was possible that he’d moved very quickly, but there was still room for doubt. Her thoughts went unvoiced, though. Allison didn’t ask any questions as she climbed the stairs behind him. 

“Here we are. A room fit for a queen.” Allison stood on her toes to look over Kol’s shoulder and peek inside. The floor was covered in plush white carpet and the walls were a light blush pink color. The decorations were perhaps a little feminine for Allison’s taste, but she would never dare look a gift horse in the mouth when Kol could have easily refused her a place to stay altogether. She was willing to bet that a room at the Motel 8 wouldn’t come close to this in style or comfort. Kol took a small step to the side to allow Allison inside the room. She looked around as she walked in. It was spacious, but not so much so that it made her uncomfortable. The room was cozy without being small. Though it was nothing like home and would probably never _feel_ like home, she could at least imagine living in it. 

Allison set her duffel bag at the foot of her new bed and smiled at Kol in the doorway. “Thank you. I mean it.”

“Let’s not get into the weepy expressions of gratitude.” That smirk was back, though it wasn’t as cruel as Allison remembered it being. It was just... _Him._ It was his way of being and, right then, Allison didn’t think she minded so much.


	3. A Night Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kol takes Allison out to learn control and to enjoy herself.

It was a night like any other. The cover of clouds kept the stars out of view and you could only see little slivers of the moon through the puffy grey things. Allison found herself staring up at the dark sky as she and Kol drove along the highway. They hadn’t yet reached a point where they could share small talk without irritating one another. Silence was the only option left.

“I don’t understand why we had to leave Beacon Hills for me to learn control.” Allison said, still looking out her window at the sky. Kol glanced at her briefly, but for the most part kept his eyes on the road.

“I want you to practice on people you don’t know in a place where you’re less likely to be spotted.” He answered simply, turning the steering wheel and pulling the car into a packed parking lot. Though there were parking spots available and in plain view, he pulled up to the valet stand.

“Where are we, anyway?” She asked. Kol opened his mouth as if to answer, but was interrupted by a valet rapping his knuckles against the driver’s side window. He gave a friendly smile to the valet, holding his hand up to signal for the valet to give him a moment to answer Allison.

“A concert, love. I figured you could use a little entertainment with your supper.” Kol flashed a quick smile at Allison, then opened his door to get out of the car. Allison followed suit, walking around the car to be by his side. A month ago she never would have dreamed of attending a concert with him. When he’d first come to town she found him to be a very unattractive breed of cocky. It seemed that Allison always favored those with hearts of gold and that was certainly _not_ Kol. His heart was dark from years of preying on those weaker than him. He’d only joined Scott’s pack because the group of teenagers piqued his curiosity and they’d only accepted him because of his knowledge and ability to help out. Since turning Allison, Kol had been less and less welcome in the pack. He could feel it. It didn’t seem to upset him, though. Kol had been fine prior to being a part of the pack and he’d be fine once more after leaving it. He could live without them. All of them but Allison, and she was only still in his life because he felt he owed her a little bit of guidance.

The valet got into the shiny red sports car, driving off to park it somewhere, and Allison and Kol walked up to the doors leading into the concert. The man at the door, a middle aged private security employee, smiled, then noticeably looking Allison over from head to toe in an almost lecherous sort of way.

“It’s twenty dollars admission per person.” He informed the couple, waiting for one of them to fork over the cash. Kol smirked that cocky smirk of his and stepped a little closer to the man, locking eyes with him.

“That’s where you’ve got it wrong, mate. We get in for free.” Allison watched him compel the security guard, more interested in what was going on than she ever expected to be. It was something that fascinated her. Kol used compulsion so freely and he was so good at it. She imagined that he was quite used to getting his way, by now. The gift of compulsion would make life easy for her, too, and she knew it. The security guard nodded and held out a stamp, stamping an image on both of their right hands. Without much thought, Kol took Allison’s hand in his and led her inside. She didn’t pull away.

As Kol opened the door for Allison, they were both met with a sudden blast of bass, guitar, and drums. It was amazing how a simple set of glass doors could have kept so much noise inside. She turned her head to look at Kol, raising her voice just slightly. “Who’s playing?” Kol simply shrugged.

“No idea. Nice crowd, though.” Still holding onto Allison’s hand, Kol led her further inside to the standing room only crowd. “Concerts are perfect if you’re hungry. No one gives a damn about anything and there are plenty of dark corners to steal away to.” She nodded at what Kol said. Allison was still reluctant to play the part of student, but she knew that she had to. She had no other option if she wanted to learn how to feed without killing.

“Watch.” He instructed. Finally, Kol’s hand slipped away from Allison’s. She still followed close behind him, though. He led her to the far edge of the crowd, gently tapping on a stranger’s shoulder. She turned to face Kol and her gaze met his.

“Come with me. Don’t bring any attention to yourself.” Kol and the girl walked away from the crowd towards a darkened spot on the side of the stage. Allison swallowed a tense lump in her throat and followed close behind them. This was the moment she’d been waiting for, she supposed. The time when she’d finally learn how to feed in a way that wouldn’t cause her an immense amount of guilt.

“Go on,” Kol nodded to the girl standing before him, now looking at Allison. “But pay attention to her heartbeat. That’s the trick. If you stop as you hear it starting to slow, you’re good. Don’t think about the taste or how good it feels to eat. Just listen to her heart.” Allison licks her lips and nodded. It seemed simple enough. She could do it.

Leaning in, she bit into the flesh of the girl’s neck and began to drink the liquid that bled from the wound. With every swallow, Allison paid close attention to the heartbeat she could hear over the crowd and even the music. She could even feel the steady beat with her lips pressed to the girl’s flesh. What had disgusted her a month earlier was now delicious. The tang of the iron in the blood was probably her favorite taste.

Then she felt it. The constant pumping of blood was beginning to slow. It took every ounce of strength Allison had in her, but she pulled back. She wiped at her mouth with the sleeve of her black coat. Kol looked on, appearing almost surprised with his raised eyebrows. He hadn’t been expecting her to succeed so easily.

“ _Very_ good.” He grinned and nodded. Allison smiled happily, surprising herself with her reaction to Kol’s praise. She’d done something right and it felt good. For the first time in weeks she had hope. The girl Allison had been feeding on, though, swayed slightly as if she was suddenly weak. Though Allison had stopped in time not to kill her, she had still lost a lot of blood and was dizzy. 

“Sit down, love. When you’re feeling better you’ll get up, go home, and forget everything that happened tonight.” Kol instructed, tucking a strand of hair behind the girl’s ear, then patted her on her shoulder and left her to her own devices. “Let’s enjoy this concert, shall we?” Allison nodded slightly and Kol led her to the middle of the standing room only section.

Though she was completely unfamiliar with the music being played, Allison swayed a little to the music. The song being played was a slow one, though it was just as loud as the fast one that had been played just a moment earlier. Truthfully, it wasn’t her kind of music. It was too abrasive and she didn’t like the singer’s voice, but it wasn’t so bad that she wasn’t enjoying herself. 

Allison was so caught up in trying to enjoy herself that she jumped slightly when she felt a pair of hands grab her waist. She turned her head to see who it was that was behind her, surprised when she saw that it was Kol. It crossed her mind to swat his hands away and insist that they leave, but it seemed like such an overreaction. Instead, she sighed quietly and kept swaying, not really put off by the closeness she was sharing with her sire.

Without saying a word, Kol pulled her closer to him. He tilted his head forward to speak directly into her ear. “This band is rubbish. Feel like going somewhere different?” Though he couldn’t see her face, Allison smiled a little. Maybe they had something in common after all, even if it was just their dislike of the band playing on the stage in front of them. After a moment of considering it, Allison nodded. She felt him link his fingers in hers and he led her out of the concert venue.

Kol easily compelled the valet to bring the car around without spending a single dollar. It occurred to Allison that earlier in the evening she might have been bothered by him abusing power like that, but she was in too good of a mood to object. The valet opened the passenger side door for her and she slid into the bucket seat as Kol slipped into his own.

“So, where are we going?” Allison fastened her seatbelt out of habit and looked to Kol for an answer.

“And spoil the surprise?” He grinned playfully, putting the car into gear and pulling out of the parking lot. Allison couldn’t help but smile a little as well.

The compact, red car drove along at a speed that would have made any mortal nervous. Kol hugged the turns tightly and passed any car he thought was going too slow until they’d reached a stretch of road where there were no cars to pass. Allison had never been to this part of town before and watched the scenery out her window with a curious look on her face. 

Kol took a turn off of the main road onto a bumpy dirt road, driving along this route for a good five minutes before parking next to a gnarled old tree. He looked over at Allison. “Here we are.” He announced. With that, they both opened their doors in unison and got out of the car. 

It was a cliff overlooking a brightly lit urban area. From the height they were at the people they could see below looked like ants, but Allison was mostly focused on the lights. Each bulb in the area below was diminished to a size smaller than a firefly. 

“It’s really beautiful.” She smiled, not taking her eyes off of the view. Kol smiled just slightly a nodded.

“At night. During the day it’s just another city view. Might as well just look it up on Google maps. It’s at night that it comes alive.” Allison couldn’t help but chuckle a little, turning her head to look at Kol. His gaze was fixed on the city below them. He only looked up as she stepped a little closer to him. Linking her fingers in his, she gave his hand a squeeze. 

“Thank you.” She whispered in a tone of voice that only the two of them could hear even though there was no one else around to listen in on them. Allison leaned in and gave Kol a gentle kiss on the lips.

It didn’t show in his expression, but Kol was absolutely baffled. It puzzled him how Allison could go from loathing him to kissing him in just a few brief weeks. He wasn’t objecting, though. In fact, once he’d gotten over how puzzling her behavior was, he pulled _her_ as close to him as she could get and kissed her back, though his kiss was rougher and more passionate.

She took a few steps back, wrapping her arms around him as she did so to make sure he knew she wasn’t pulling away from the kiss. As she backed into the hood of the car, she first took a seat and then laid back, the kiss never stopping for one second as the two of them moved. It seemed to last for hours even though it really only covered a span of maybe ten minutes. When the kiss finally came to its natural end, Allison smiled silently up at Kol. He smiled back, then looking up to the now deep mauve sky.

“If I’m going to get you home by dawn...” He trailed off, but Allison knew what he meant without him having to finish. They were a distance from home and the sky had already become a milky medium shade of purple. The sun wasn’t a threat to him, but unless Allison wanted to turn into a pile of ashes she had to get home before it rose. Kol stood up again and Allison got up from her perch on the hood of Kol’s car. The two of them walked around and got back into their seats inside of the car.

This time Allison didn’t fasten her seat belt. It was beginning to occur to her that she was a vampire, a lot like Kol, and she liked how her future was looking. Life as a vampire wasn’t so bad with her wild card sire by her side.


	4. Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allison runs into Scott at the grocery store. He shares his opinions on what she's become.

The grocery store was a nearly intolerable place with Allison’s newly enhanced senses. The fluorescent lights buzzed practically as loud as bug zappers and the free samples stand at the end of the bread aisle gave off a potent smell that Allison wasn’t overly fond of. She didn’t have to eat, but she liked to. Kol, on the other hand, drank his calories in the form of alcohol. He had no need to go to the grocery store and that left just Allison to do the shopping. She missed the days when she got off easy just writing up a list and passing it off to her dad. With a cart half full, Allison pushed her way at the end of a check out line. For it being 8 o’ clock, the store was buzzing with activity. It surprised Allison, but at least now she didn’t feel so out of place doing her shopping after dark. She put up the little plastic stick that served as a barrier between her order and the order that had come before. One by one she put her groceries on the conveyor belt, but she stopped when she felt a cart bump into her. Her eyes narrowed and she turned sharply to glare at the person pushing the cart only to find that it was...

“Scott?” Her expression instantly softened upon seeing his innocent puppy face. It was the first time she’d seen Scott in a month. It was no secret that she made him uneasy, now, and so she avoided him and the rest of her friends. When her own friends were afraid of her, being around them was just as unpleasant for her as it was for them. She missed the days she’d spent laughing with them or fighting side by side against whatever threat was terrorizing Beacon Hills at the time. She missed shopping with Lydia. She missed nights spent inside with Isaac. Most of all she missed Scott.

“What are you... Doesn’t your mom usually do the shopping?” She scratched at her eyebrow uneasily. What does a person say after being forced apart from a friend? Smalltalk seemed almost insulting, but it was the only thing Allison could think of to say.

“She does.” Scott nodded slowly. “She’s sick, though.” Allison glanced at the load his own cart was carrying. Ginger ale, quarts of soup from the store’s deli... It looked like typical sick person fare. She nodded and looked back up to him briefly before turning to load the rest of her groceries onto the conveyor belt, talking as she did so.

“That’s too bad.” She said with an honest hint of sympathy in her voice. “It’s nice of you to do it for her, though.” Allison turned her head slightly to flash a friendly half smile. Scott smiled back, looking less uneasy than he had been moments earlier. As her order was scanned and bagged for her, Allison reached for her wallet to pay with cash. It was too crowded for her to compel the cashier and get her order for free, but even if the only other person in the whole store had been Scott McCall she still would have paid with cash. She wanted him to see that she was still normal, that she was still the Allison Argent he’d known and loved. Kol undoubtedly would have scoffed at the idea and insisted that she needed to leave the past where it belonged and embrace her new life. Maybe that was even true, but Scott’s opinion of Allison mattered to her.

As Allison lifted bag after bag into her cart, not even struggling with the heavier loads. She was so strong these days, especially after she’d fed. A heavy grocery bag was nothing to her. She started to push her cart toward the exit, but slowed to an eventual stop. This was an opportunity to catch up with Scott and she wouldn’t let it slip through her fingers so easily. She waited by the door for Scott to be rung up and sent on his way. When he finally caught up with her he looked a little surprised that she had waited for him, that adorable crooked smile playing on his face.

“How are you?” Allison asked, pushing her cart along right next to his. He slipped in front of her as they exited the door, but once they were both outside in the parking lot he turned his head to look at her once again.

“I’m alright. You know, same as usual.” His smile looked a little lame and Allison got the distinct feeling that he was lying to her. She said nothing, though. She just nodded and shrugged. “How are you?” He asked. From the look on his face she could tell that he really wanted to know. This wasn’t small talk for him. He was genuinely concerned with how she was doing with her new life.

“Better.” She nodded with a smile. “I’m learning about what I can do, what my limits are.” Allison looked almost proud when she said it. She had Kol to lean on, but she was growing more and more independent by the day. To her, that was something to be proud of.

Scott’s expression suddenly looked more serious. He opened and closed his mouth a couple times as if he wanted to say something but just couldn’t get it out. Finally, he closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. He reasoned that if he was a little calmer then he could actually ask what he wanted to know. “Allison, the Sheriff told Stiles that they found five people dead last month. All of them were exsanguinated. That means--”

“I _know_ what that means, Scott.” Allison cut him off harshly. She’d hoped that he’d never have to find out about her slip ups and mistakes, but thanks to the Sheriff Stiles, Scott, and probably Lydia knew all about what had transpired in the past month.

“Was it you?” He asked her in such a small voice that Allison felt terrible for cutting him off the way she had. She felt a lump form in her throat and tried her best to swallow it and be rid of it. Allison drew in a shaky breath and nodded slowly.

“Some of it was me.” She’d never felt more ashamed than she did in that moment. “But Scott, I’ve changed. I know when to stop, now. I don’t drain _anyone_. I just feed and everyone goes home safe and happy.” She smiled for what felt like a split second, but then she noticed how disappointed Scott looked and her expression quickly turned into a frown. Her stomach suddenly felt heavier, like she was carrying an immense weight in her gut. It didn’t occur to her that it was her guilt manifesting.

“Allison...” Scott shook his head, looking like he was incredibly sad for his former friend and ex-girlfriend. “Those were people with lives, families... You killed them.” Allison remained silent. The moment she felt a tear running down her cheek she dashed it away impatiently with her hand. Scott reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. It was suddenly clear that he didn’t just feel a horrible disappointment in her, but also a sadness for what she’d become. Allison wasn’t sure if she felt touched or annoyed by it.

“The killings were in the past. I’m better than that now. Kol’s teaching me--” This time Scott cut Allison off.

“ _Kol_ is the problem, Allison. You knew what he was like when he joined our pack. He wanted our support but didn’t want to give anything back. He could have prevented your death entirely and instead he turned you into a monster like him.” Scott instantly regretted using the word monster. He heard Allison gasp a little as he said it. She wiped more tears away from her eyes and shook her head.

“That’s where you’re wrong, Scott. Kol’s the one who taught me how to feed without killing. He’s the reason there aren’t going to be any more dead bodies. When my dad refused to understand my transformation, Kol gave me a place to live. He’s been nothing but good to me, so if that’s what you call a monster then count me in as a monster just like him.” Her jaw was clenched. She wouldn’t let anyone call her a monster when all she did every day of her existence was to fight becoming a monster.

Scott shook his head slowly. “You’re better than him, Allison.” There was a silence that felt like it dragged on for an eternity and for every second of that silence Allison fought the urge to apologize for not being the girl Scott had fallen in love with. Finally, the silence came to an end and it was too late for apologies. “Goodbye.” Scott said in a quiet voice, pushing his cart over to his mother’s parked car an aisle over.

Allison let out a breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She fished in the pocket of her coat for the keys to Kol’s car and pressed the button that popped the trunk open. Slowly, silently she loaded her bags into the trunk of the car. Everything was quiet, everything was calm. Once her groceries were loaded into the car, she slowly pushed the cart into the cart return and walked back to the car, climbing into the driver’s seat. As soon as the driver’s side door was shut and locked, though, Allison let out a choked sob. She rested her head on the steering wheel, crying freely like no one could have possibly seen her. Had Scott been right? Was she a monster now? She’d killed people. She’d become the very thing her human self would have killed simply to protect other innocent lives from being stolen by her vampire self. It truly stung thinking of her old code, now.

She wiped at her tear-soaked face with the sleeve of her sweater and tried to compose herself. If she came home puffy and red, sniffling like she’d just been crying then there would be questions asked. Kol didn’t care about much, but he had come to care about Allison and her still human emotions if only slightly. All he would have needed to hear was that Scott made her cry and she knew Scott would have been in danger. That wasn’t what she wanted at all, so she desperately tried to calm herself.

Allison dug through her purse and pulled out a few cosmetic items, touching up her makeup in the rear view mirror all while telling herself that she would be okay, that she wasn’t a monster.


	5. Measurements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allison comes home one evening to a pleasant surprise courtesy of Kol.

Carrying a heavy, unbalanced paper bag of liquor, Allison fumbled with her key in the lock. If she dropped her load it would be a mess of glass and expensive booze. Kol had sensed that she was restless and sent her out with a list of things to purchase from the liquor store. It turned out that even without compulsion they would have been alright financially. Allison had found out that Kol had accumulated wealth over the years. The money he’d given to her for running errands was barely a drop in the bucket to him.

She tilted her head to shout inside. “They didn’t have your brand, so I got Kentucky Spirit. The man working the counter said it’s his favorite.” Allison maneuvered so she could get inside and closed the door behind her with a boot-clad foot. How the two of them would ever consume so much alcohol boggled her mind. There were bottles of bourbon, apparently for Kol, and two six-packs of Miller Lite for Allison. Alcohol didn’t affect her the same way it used to and she’d grown fond of the taste of lite beer. She’d also found that it curbed her appetite for blood, so she always kept beer on hand in the new house she shared with Kol.

When she finally caught sight of Kol in their living room she found herself wrinkling her eyebrows in confusion. He wasn’t alone. There was a man in a nice suit sizing him up with measuring tape and a woman in an elegant but simple black dress taking notes beside the two of them.

“What’s going on?” Allison set the bag of liquor against the arm of a sofa and folded her arms, wondering why exactly Kol was having his measurements taken.

“I’m being fitted for a tuxedo, darling. Kick off your shoes. You’ll be next.” Kol smiled at her over his shoulder. 

“What could you possibly need a tuxedo for?” Her arms stayed folded across her chest as she took in everything about the situation. His never wavering smirk, the man and the woman taking his measurements.

“I’m surprised you even have to ask. It’s all for that homecoming dance you were so broken up over.” There was something mischievous in his eyes as he said it, something Allison didn’t quite trust.

“You’re planning on taking me to the high school’s homecoming dance?” She raised her eyebrows incredulously and let her arms drop to her sides. “I don’t even go to the high school anymore. You compelled the faculty to forget I ever went there.”

“Yes, but if you recall, last night you were in tears telling me how you’d never even get to go to your own homecoming. I took action to remedy that.” He smiled at her, then turned his head so that he was completely facing forward with his arms lifted to allow the busy man by his side to take more measurements.

“How do you plan on doing this?” It surprised her that she wasn’t angry with him over planning something like this without her consent. She supposed that her teary confession about missing out on homecoming was consent of a kind.

“I plan on paying to dress you in whatever ridiculously expensive style your heart desires and escorting you to the dance.” Kol said, as if it was the most simple thing in the entire world.

“What about the faculty? They’ll know I’m not a student.” She tilted her head, half dreading whatever answer she was going to get from him.

“It surprises me how you’ve yet to embrace what you are and what you can do, love. We’ll compel them to not care. You’ll have your perfect evening.” Allison couldn’t be certain, but when he gave his answer he looked like he truly meant to do something good for her. This wasn’t selfish at all and it took her slightly by surprise.

There was a long silence as Allison contemplated the situation. There was a part of her saying that it was impractical and would call attention to her and her new life as a vampire. Another part of her, though, was ecstatic just thinking about it. Maybe her old friends could forgive what she’d become for one night and they could have fun together. She could dance with them and laugh and have one normal night of teenage bliss. No werewolves, no vampires, just dancing. It definitely had an appeal to it and because of that Allison was inclined to agree with Kol’s plan.

“Alright, fine.” She sighed and smiled at him. There was a brief pause. “You’re really paying for a custom gown for me?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Allison. This will be your night and money is no object.” Finally, it seemed that the tailor and his assistant had finished with measuring Kol. He smoothed out his shirt and took a couple steps toward Allison, knowing how impressed Allison was with his gesture and smiling to show off that he did know it. “Your turn, darling. Then I’ll leave you to discuss colors and styles with those two.”

Allison wasn’t about to disagree. She grinned broadly and nodded her head. “Thank you.” She said quite sincerely. It was the first time she’d ever said _thank you_ to Kol. To be fair, it was the first time she felt that he was doing something purely for her with no selfish motivations of his own. Even when he’d turned her that night at Eichen House she’d felt that he must have had something to gain from all of it.

“You’re welcome.” Kol smiled and reached for her hand, lifting it so that he could place a light kiss on her wrist. “Now, I suppose I’ll have to try some of this _Kentucky Spirit_ you bought.” He passed her by and fished through the paper bag from the liquor store to produce a glass bottle of bourbon. He took it and left the room, presumably to get a glass.

The woman who had only been taking notes for the man measuring Kol took the reigns of the operation and positioned Allison without saying a word. Allison cooperated, moving in whatever direction she was encouraged.

“Are you from Beacon Hills?” She gave a friendly half-smile to the woman as she measured her.

“We’re based in Mystic Falls, Virginia, actually.” The woman responded pleasantly. “We do a lot of work for the Mikaelsons. We’ve been their go-to tailor for generations.” Allison raised her eyebrows slightly. She supposed that she should have figured that a family of what was basically vampire royalty would have a trusted tailor. Then something struck her as odd.

“Did you fly here today? From Virginia?” Allison spread her feet apart slightly as the woman measured her.

“No, we came by car two days ago.” This struck Allison as weird. She hadn’t mentioned wanting to go to the homecoming dance until just the night before. The confusion must have shown plainly on her face as the woman paused her work and looked up at Allison with concern showing in her expression. “Is something wrong, dear?”

Allison paused and shook her head. “No, nothing’s wrong. Sorry.” She smiled apologetically. Thoughts filled her mind. Perhaps she was truly cynical by nature, because she automatically began to think that maybe Kol’s motivations weren’t so selfless. She wondered if there was more to it than what seemed to be there on the surface. It occurred to her for a split second that maybe he’d simply anticipated her wanting to go to the dance, but the cynic in her quickly banished that thought from her mind.

“Not bad,” Kol announced loudly as he reentered the room, sipping at a glass of the bourbon Allison had bought instead of his favorite. “But let’s stick to familiar brands of liquor in the future, hmm?” He smiled at her and Allison smiled back, desperately wanting to think the best of him and everything he did. She really did want to think that he’d summoned the tailor and his assistant to Beacon Hills because he wanted to do something thoughtful for her, but now she was doubtful. She just hoped that it wouldn’t show in her face.

“Hopefully in the future they’ll actually have some of your favorite in stock.” Allison responded in a happy tone of voice.

This would be the night he had promised her. It had to be. She’d gotten her hopes up when she’d first come home that night and she was afraid of how disappointed she would be if Kol let her down. She really wanted to think the best of her sire even if he was actually sinister and selfish in some ways. Allison just wanted to honestly care for him. That wasn’t too much to ask, was it?


	6. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kol escorts Allison to the homecoming dance at the high school. It isn't the dance Allison dreamed of.

Allison paused in the hallway leading to the gymnasium, her arm linked in Kol’s. She had to admit that they made a very good looking couple. With Kol in his tuxedo and Allison in her custom cranberry red gown, they were probably the best dressed people attending the dance. To be fair, though, not everyone had a team of tailors at their beck and call. 

The question of Kol’s motivations still weighed on Allison’s mind, but she’d promised herself that she would at least try to enjoy herself in spite of not knowing why exactly Kol had arranged all of this just so they could both attend the dance.

“Ready?” Kol smiled at her, pausing for a moment before opening the gymnasium doors and stepping inside. Allison looked around with slightly widened eyes at the decorations. It seemed that student council had gone all out for homecoming. Everything, including the people milling about the room, was beautiful. She smiled to herself, glad that she’d decided to come.

Her eyes darted around, trying to spot her friends in the crowd. The first one she saw was Lydia, sitting at a table in a lovely short, strapless dress in a greenish hue. Allison wanted to at least say hello. She looked to Kol and gave him a kiss on his cheek, then leaning in to speak in a quiet tone of voice. 

“Give me a minute, okay?” She smiled, squeezing his hand a little and walking over to Lydia’s table. She didn’t catch the slight look of pleasant bewilderment on Kol’s face after she’d kissed him in a very public place.

Allison grabbed the back of a chair directly across the table from Lydia and cleared her throat. Lydia looked up at the noise, a surprised expression on her face upon seeing her former best friend. Allison just smiled. “Is this seat taken?”

“Allison...” It was all Lydia could say at first. It had been over a month since they’d last seen each other face to face. Maybe it was a little awkward, but Allison reasoned that they’d been through worse and could handle any lulls in conversation. “Yeah, please, have a seat.” At that, Allison slid the chair out so that she could sit down. Once seated, she leaned over to be a little closer to Lydia.

“How have you been?” She asked the redhead, not meaning it as small talk. It really was a question that had been on her mind lately. It was sort of a blanket question, summing up a thousand other, more specific questions that Allison had decided were a little too awkward to ask. Were they still friends in spite of everything that had happened? If not, was there a new best friend in the picture? Was Lydia okay after nearly being killed along with the others? There were so many questions Allison wanted to ask, but only a small number that she felt she actually could ask.

“What do you think?” Lydia smiled a sad sort of half-frown, looking at her friend. It seemed that not too long ago Lydia had been the one telling Allison not to frown. Someone could have been falling in love with her smile, she’d said. It took every ounce of strength for Allison not to repeat the advice. It seemed like it would have been too painful, just another reminder that things would never be how they used to be. Allison looked down at an impeccably folded paper napkin for a moment. The answer to Lydia’s question was understood. Just as things hadn’t been the same for Allison after being turned into a vampire, things hadn’t been the same for her former circle of friends. 

“You look really amazing tonight.” Allison commented casually but honestly. Lydia cracked a slightly wider smile.

“So do you. Burgundy really works with your skin tone.” It was enough to make Allison wish she hadn’t had her dress custom made. It would have been so much better to have purchased a dress on a shopping trip with Lydia. Then again, she wasn’t even sure if Lydia would have wanted to go shopping with her anymore. So much had changed. There were certain things that would never happen again. Would shopping be one of those things, Allison wondered?

She opened her mouth to ask another question, but felt a hand on her shoulder. Allison looked up and her eyes met Kol’s. At first she’d wanted to ask for more time alone, but the moment both she and Lydia realized he was there they both put up their invisible walls. Tonight didn’t seem like it would be the night Allison would reconnect with Lydia. That was okay. If Allison had anything in the world, she definitely had time. More time than she knew what to deal with.

“Hello, Lydia.” Kol greeted her with that smirk on his face that always drove Allison up a wall. She never knew what to do with that smirk. What was behind it? What was he thinking? Apparently it only irritated Lydia. He was met with her coldest, forced half smile. It made Allison a little sad that the two of them were so important to her in different ways, but they would never get along. Lydia still felt that Kol had robbed Allison of her mortality. Kol felt that Lydia was only holding Allison back from her true potential.

Kol looked down at Allison. “Care to dance, love?” He held out his hand. Allison took it and looked over to Lydia who had retreated into a metaphorical shell. 

“I’ll see you later, okay?” Allison smiled sadly at her former best friend, then turned to face Kol as he led her out on the dancefloor. A slow song was playing and she wrapped her arms around him, swaying slightly to the music.

“Not too shabby for a high school dance, I have to say.” Allison smirked, holding her tongue when she felt like making a comment about Kol being an old man. Instead, she just sighed and held him a little closer. Her friends could hate him all they wanted. Kol was still important to her. He would always _be_ important to her. Though it hadn’t been easy to handle, he was the one who had saved her from a sure death.

It felt like they stood there, swaying on the dancefloor for an eternity. When the slow song came to an end and a faster one began, Allison took a step back and smiled at Kol. He gave her that smile of his, the one she recognized as being totally genuine, and she almost melted. With timing being awkward as it always seemed to be, though, she caught sight of two people walking into the gymnasium together. Scott was in a nice suit with Kira in a black and white dress following just a step behind him. Without her even wanting to, her gaze locked on her ex-boyfriend. He looked so happy, smiling at Kira as they walked in. She didn’t think she had a right to feel disappointed. After all, hadn’t she moved on with Kol? Still, there was a definite sting that came with the feeling of having been replaced. This definitely wasn’t the dance she’d imagined when she’d asked Kol to attend homecoming with her.

Then it happened. Though the two of them were on opposite sides of the gymnasium, Scott’s eyes found Allison’s. His smile faded when he saw her, a definite hint of surprise showing on his face. It was impossible to tell whether or not it was pleasant surprise. Even Allison who had spent so much time getting to know every expression Scott ever used couldn’t decipher the look on his face right at that moment. She saw him turn, smile again and say something to Kira. Kira nodded and walked over to get a plastic cup of fruit punch and Scott made his way over to Allison.

It was then that Kol realized Allison was looking at someone over his shoulder. He turned to see who it was and when it became clear that it was Scott she’d been looking at he put on his trademark smirk. Almost immediately after he’d turned Allison, Kol had cut himself out of the picture with Scott and his pack. Allison had done the same, but not really because she’d actually wanted to. Kol had put that space between himself and Scott because he knew it was for the best, and yet somehow he was looking forward to saying hello to Scott with Allison on his arm. He wasn’t beyond showing off that he’d won the girl in this particular game.

“Scott McCall. Lovely dance, isn’t it?” Kol grinned happily in spite of the tension building between Scott and Allison. It was like he didn’t feel the emotions they were bringing to the situation at all. Like he was in his own little bubble.

“You brought _him_ to the dance?” Scott asked Allison, ignoring Kol’s greeting altogether. He sounded almost angry and Allison was taken aback by the accusation. What did he think? That Allison had come to the dance with Kol specifically to anger him? She wasn’t sure how to respond at first, so she remained silent.

“He’s a killer, Allison. He doesn’t belong here.” Scott desperately tried to keep his voice down to avoid making a scene, but even though his volume was low his voice was dripping with ferocity. Allison shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. Kol, of course, took notice of it and he did not like anyone upsetting Allison. Kol put a hand on Scott’s shoulder to get his attention and locked eyes with him. 

“Calm down and treat the lady with a bit of respect.” His pupils dilated slightly and Allison immediately recognized the gesture as compulsion. She didn’t want to garner any attention from outsiders. The important part of the evening was that the two lay low and enjoy the dance quietly. Still, she grabbed Kol’s hand tightly and dug freshly manicured fingernails into his palm. Kol only smiled.

“I’m sorry.” Scott said to Allison. “I hope you both enjoy the dance.” With that, he turned and walked over to the punch table to be with Kira. When he was a safe distance away, Allison turned to face Kol with a fierce expression on her face.

“You compelled him??” She asked in a harsh, near-whisper. “You compelled _Scott?_ ” 

“Is it really so hard to believe?” Kol raised his eyebrows slightly. “I didn’t like the way he was talking to you, darling. As if it was your fault I arranged all of this...” 

Allison suspected that if she wasn’t so angry with Kol she would have accepted the compulsion as a nice gesture, but she _was_ angry. Pissed off, even. When it came to compulsion, she drew the line at friends and family. She had sworn to herself that she would never compel someone she truly cared about. Like it or not, she still cared about Scott.

“Don’t do it again.” She shot a glare at Kol that quickly softened when she realized who she was talking to. “Please.” Allison added at the end.

“Fine.” Kol agreed, though he only went along with what she’d asked of him to placate her. He didn’t want an argument tonight. Especially not in front of Scott. No, he liked having him believe that Allison was over the moon to be with the vampire instead of the werewolf. 

He led Allison to an unoccupied table and sat down with her. Linking his fingers in with hers, he looked at her with concern showing on his face. “You’re not enjoying yourself tonight, are you?”

At first she responded with a shrug, but then she shook her head. “It’s nothing I expected it to be.” She sighed sadly.

“Then let’s go home and leave the past behind us.” Kol suggested with a gentle smile. Allison could feel tears welling up in her eyes at that. She didn’t want Scott and Lydia and Beacon Hills High School to be her past. She wanted to be an ordinary teenager living a slightly unordinary life, surrounded by friends. Still, she nodded at Kol’s suggestion.

He stood, holding out a hand to help Allison rise to her feet. She took it and stood, following him as he led her out. Allison barely noticed as Scott sadly watched her leave the dance.


	7. A Slow Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Allison disappointed by the homecoming dance, Kol tries to make it up to her.

The moon was just a silver sliver of a crescent in the sky. Allison sat slouching on the pillowed seat Kol had set up for her on the windowsill in her bedroom. She was still in her cranberry red gown, though she’d kicked her heels off some time ago. In her hand was a half finished bottle of rosé wine. Every so often she would take a healthy swig of the sweet wine. She usually wasn’t one for drinking, but after having the night she’d had at the homecoming dance being drunk sounded very appealing. She wasn’t drunk, of course. Her tolerance for alcohol as a vampire was pretty high. Still, she drank all the same. Once she finished this bottle she intended to raid Kol’s wine cellar for another.

There was a knock on the frame of her bedroom door and Allison didn’t even look. It was Kol and she knew it. When she failed to answer, Kol stepped inside and walked over to the window.

“Rosé? Really?” He criticized her drink of choice and Allison responded by rolling her eyes, finally turning her head to look at him.

“I can’t stand whiskey. Red wine reminds me of my mother at the holidays. White doesn’t appeal to me. The only other available option in this house is rosé.” All of that aside, rosé was also her favorite of the available drinks. Kol nodded, silent for a few seconds.

“Are you just going to stand there?” Allison blinked, speaking in a critical tone. Kol smirked and took a seat a few feet away on the edge of Allison’s bed.

“Was it that terrible?” He asked. She knew immediately that he was referring to the disaster of a dance they’d just been to only an hour prior. Allison let out a scoff and took another drink of her wine straight from the bottle. 

“Terrible doesn’t begin to cover it.” She turned, swinging her legs around so that she was sitting facing Kol completely. “My friends hate you. Scott might as well have completely forgotten about me. What else?” She paused in mock thought. “Oh! Yeah! You _compelled Scott._ ” Her jaw set and she stared at Kol angrily, as if all of it was his fault. In a way it was. None of that could have happened if Kol had let Allison die at Eichen House. Then, of course, it would have been the end of the road for Allison. Sadly enough, it was something she was beginning to wish for. When Kol said nothing, she let out a heavy sigh. She rubbed at her eyes, smearing already tear-smudged mascara under her eye to give her an almost raccoon-like appearance on one eye.

“Do you hate it that much? Being immortal?” Kol asked. Allison had to do a double take. He actually sounded like he truly cared what answer she gave. Her mouth opened and she almost gave a hasty answer of ‘yes’, but she gave it a moment’s thought and shook her head.

“I like being strong. I like knowing that I can protect my friends even better than before. I like...” Allison trailed off and looked away from Kol. “I like spending my time with you. I just don’t think it’s natural. I don’t think this is the way things were supposed to be.” Her gaze snapped back to him once again when she heard him chuckle.

“Allison, hardly anything in this world is as nature intended. It doesn’t make it _bad_. Sometimes it makes it better.” She simply wrinkled her eyebrows together at his argument. There was nothing she wanted more than to tell him that he was wrong, but she doubted herself just enough to remain silent. “You said it yourself,” He shrugged his shoulders. “You’re strong. You can protect your friends better than ever before.” Kol neglected to bring up the fact that he disapproved of her choice in friends. Right then his objective was to keep her from becoming a weepy drunk.

“Right,” Allison sighed and took a long drink from the bottle. She’d been drinking for some time and had yet to feel even slightly tipsy. Sometimes the so-called perks of being a vampire were downright annoying. “ _But_ I still miss my human life. I think that I would take being a vampire over being dead, but there’s no question that I’d rather be human.”

Kol raised his eyebrows slightly. He told himself that he shouldn’t have been so surprised. Allison had never chosen to be turned. Of course it would take some time for her to truly embrace it. She wasn’t like him. When his mother had cast the spell to turn Kol and his siblings into vampires he’d taken to the lifestyle immediately. He loved the power that came with what he was. That was what made it so hard for him to accept that Allison didn’t love what she was right off the bat. It was strange to him how someone could be disappointed with power and immortality.

“You look like...” Allison trailed off. “I don’t know. Like you don’t believe what I’m saying.” She set her nearly empty bottle beside her on the window seat and focused her full attention on Kol.

“Well, to be fair, it’s hard to believe. Even as a human you were one who valued strength. Now you have more strength than any human being on this planet and you’re disenchanted with it. I suppose I just don’t understand you, Allison.” His honesty brought a small smile to Allison’s face and, upon seeing her smile, he smiled faintly, too.

“I guess I’m a mystery.” She couldn’t help but smile a little wider and Kol followed suit. The air in the room still felt heavy and Allison was still a bit sad that her evening hadn’t gone as planned, but she was smiling. That was something.

Kol rose to his feet, holding out his hand. “Come. I want to show you something.” 

Allison wrinkled her eyebrows, eyeing Kol curiously. She wasn’t sure she could handle any more surprises, but she took his hand and stood from her perch on the windowsill. He smiled at her over his shoulder, looking almost mischievous as he did so. Kol led her out of her bedroom, down the hall, and down the long staircase that led to the parlor. He released her hand and walked over to an old record player, setting the needle on a vinyl record that was already sitting on the table. The sound of an old, slow song filled the entire parlor and Allison couldn’t help but smile.

“Our dance was interrupted.” Kol explained, still smiling. “If we both got dressed up I won’t have it be for nothing.” ‘

Allison nodded and gave him a thumbs up jokingly. “Oh, of course.” A tiny chuckle escaped her lips. Kol narrowed the space between them and put his hands on her waist, pulling her just a little closer than she already was. Allison’s hands found their way to his shoulders. The marble floor was cold on her bare feet, but she liked the sensation.

It started simple enough with the two of them silently swaying to the music, but as Kol led her the dance became slightly more than simple swaying. She laughed as he twirled her, a big smile on his face as he did so. Then he dipped her and she laughed even harder. Allison’s laughter was music to his ears. This was the first time he’d ever seen her smile so honestly let alone laugh. It made him feel like he was doing something right, for once. So often with Allison he’d felt lost. In all of his years as a vampire he’d never served as a mentor to a vampire he created. His method was to usually just leave the newly turned vampire to their own devices. Allison was the first one he’d paid any kind of special attention to. In that way, she was special.

The song came to an end and soon there was a soft sort of white noise coming from the record player, but Allison kept her hands on Kol’s shoulders and he kept his hands on her waist. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. This was how the dance was supposed to go, but now that they’d had their slow dance she didn’t feel so cheated. 

Finally, the swaying stopped. Kol took his hands from Allison’s waist, using one to tilt her head towards his. In a way that was more gentle than Allison ever would have expected, he kissed her. At first it surprised her, but soon her eyes closed and she found herself kissing back. Kol deepened the kiss, letting his hand rest on the nape of her neck.

Allison slowly pulled away from Kol, smiling ever so faintly. Without saying a word, her hand found his and she began to lead him up the stairs.


	8. An Invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kol's brother Elijah arrives in town to invite Allison and Kol to join the other members of the Mikaelson family in New Orleans.

The night before had gotten a rough start. The dance had not gone as well as Allison had hoped. Still, Kol, with his very secret sweet side, had made sure that the night ended on a good note. Allison lay in bed lazily, just waking up. With her sleepy eyes closed, she rolled over, reaching out. When her hand met the pillow she slowly opened her eyes, finding that she was in bed alone. A sigh escaped her lips. She had been hoping to wake up next to Kol, but then again he didn’t really seem like the sort who would hang around for very long after all was said and done.

She sat up, yawning and stretching her arms forward. From the amount of sunlight she could see she imagined that she’d slept in quite late. Rising from the bed, Allison quickly slipped on a pair of underwear and a slightly oversized t-shirt. It was warm in the house, so she saw no reason for a robe. Besides, it wasn’t as if she lived with anyone other than Kol and he was used to seeing her dressed this way in the mornings they spent together.

When she descended the staircase her sensitive ears picked up on someone talking and as she made her way to the first floor of the house she recognized it as Kol’s voice. It puzzled her as to why he might be talking to himself. She rounded a corner to see him, but found he wasn’t alone. Her jaw dropped slightly as she stood frozen in one spot. Kol hadn’t said anything about expecting company.

The other man, thankfully, didn’t seem to see her. Both the stranger and Kol seemed to be having a very intense, albeit quiet discussion. Kol was dressed as he always was, but the stranger was in a nice, dark suit. His manner of dress struck Allison as sort of odd, but she wasn’t one to knock how anyone dressed. There was a possibility that this man was a little like Allison’s old friend Lydia who always seemed to be most comfortable when she was dressed up and dressed stylishly.

While she stood there picking apart the way the two men in the parlor were dressed, she finally caught Kol’s eye. A tiny smile spread across his face.

“There you are.” As Kol verbally acknowledged Allison’s presence, the stranger looked over his shoulder to see who Kol was talking to. Suddenly Allison felt very underdressed.

“I slept in.” She explained, blushing slightly. Part of her wanted to dash off to her room to slip into some pants, but it seemed a little rude to leave so abruptly.

“Elijah, this is Allison Argent.” There was a hint of pride in Kol’s voice as he introduced her. “Allison, this is my brother Elijah.”

Allison raised her eyebrows slightly. Kol had never said anything about family. He hadn’t ever said much of anything about himself to her, now that she thought about it. It was perfectly possible that there were even more siblings out there.

“It’s nice to meet you.” She said to Elijah with a smile on her face, still hanging back slightly feeling awkward about her lack of pants.

“The pleasure is mine, Allison.” He smiled like a gentleman, though she noticed he made a point not to set eyes on her lower half. Allison took this as her signal that she needed to get completely dressed.

“I’ll, um...” A tiny, nervous laugh escaped her lips. “I’m going to go get dressed properly.” Kol simply nodded and turned his attention back to his brother. 

As soon as she was sure they weren’t looking at her anymore, Allison tore up the stairs to her room. Her first meeting with Kol’s family and she’d already embarrassed herself. She scolded herself for not throwing on a pair of yoga pants with her t-shirt. That way she might have looked a little messy, but she wouldn’t have been half-nude. She wasn’t about to toss on a pair of yoga pants _now_ , though. Now she wanted to dress to impress. Frantically she looked through her closet. It seemed like every outfit and every dress was exactly what she wasn’t looking for. Elijah was downstairs in his fine suit. Allison needed to find the female equivalent of what he was wearing and she just didn’t have it. Disappointed, she settled on one of her dresses and quickly slipped into it. 

She sat on the edge of her bed to put on a pair of ankle boots. Once they were on, she made her way back down the stairs. Now she wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb. Allison walked into the parlor where Kol and Elijah sat and she took a seat in one of the overstuffed chairs in the room.

“To what do we owe this visit?” Smiling, Allison looked from Kol to Elijah. She took notice that Kol didn’t look as happy as he usually did and it worried her. Hopefully Elijah wasn’t visiting to deliver bad news.

“Elijah has come here to invite me to join my family in New Orleans.” All while he was speaking, Kol’s eyes never left his brother’s face. There was a slight tension in the air that anyone could have picked up on. Visiting family didn’t seem like it should have been all that terrible to Allison, but she reminded herself that she didn’t know Kol’s family.

“I wasn’t aware that you were here.” Elijah explained to Allison. “Though I don’t see why the invitation can’t also include you.” He smiled in a way that was infectious. Allison returned the smile, then turned her attention to Kol.

“Are we going?” Though she tried to downplay it, she couldn’t help but sound a little bit excited. Getting out of Beacon Hills was exactly what she needed. She felt a need to put as much distance between herself and her former life as was possible. Watching Kol carefully, she waited for an answer. He looked less excited about it than she did and she couldn’t help but wonder what he wasn’t telling her. Elijah seemed perfectly friendly. How bad could his other siblings be?

“I don’t see how a visit could hurt.” Kol said, still looking severe as ever. Allison understood not being close to one’s family, but it seemed like this was more than that. There was definitely something more going on that she was in the dark about.

“Then it’s settled. We leave tomorrow morning.” Elijah looked pleased. He’d achieved what he wanted to happen, why wouldn’t he? His smile wasn’t enough to ease Allison’s worried mind, though. She doubted that this would be a vacation to New Orleans. Once Elijah was gone she intended to grill Kol for more details.

“I assume we’re driving?” Allison asked in an uncharacteristically small voice. She felt a little awkward speaking up like that. “I can’t go out in the sunlight.” 

“I’ll arrange for a suitable vehicle.” Elijah said as he rose to his feet. Allison simply nodded and followed suit, standing up along with Kol. “I’ll see both of you in the morning.” Elijah nodded, walking to the foyer and letting himself out. Once Elijah was gone, Allison looked at Kol with wrinkled eyebrows.

“What’s going on? I could have cut the tension in this room with a _fingernail_.” Kol shrugged his shoulders and made his way over to the bar, pouring himself a drink.

“You heard him. Our presence is requested in New Orleans.” He sipped at his drink, leaning slightly against the bar.

“There’s more to it. I’m not stupid, Kol.” Allison folded her arms across her chest, looking almost angry that he wouldn’t give her the answers she wanted.

Kol downed the remaining contents of his drink and set the glass on the bar, pausing for a few seconds before answering Allison.

“Somehow my mother is back in the picture.” He didn’t even look her in the eye when he spoke. Allison could tell that he was worried and given that he was usually pretty carefree that bothered her.

“Why is that a bad thing?” She took a seat close to the bar, leaning a little closer to him.

“It’s a long story.” Given the fact that all the two of them had was time, Allison took it to mean that he simply didn’t want to talk about it. She really did want to know what she was getting involved in, but they were in for a very long drive starting tomorrow. Maybe he’d be more willing to explain it when there was silence that needed to be filled.

“Fine.” She paused for a moment. “Can you promise me that New Orleans will be better than Beacon Hills?” A small smile formed on her face and soon Kol followed suit smiling as well. This was the sign she was looking for. The sign that meant things would eventually be better for the two of them.

“Darling, I suspect a trip to _Tehran_ would be better than Beacon Hills. We’ll have to deal with my family in New Orleans, but that isn’t _always_ a bad thing.” Kol stared off into space for a moment. Allison said nothing, but still smiled slightly. “Perhaps you should pack a bag. Then, later, we’ll get something to eat.”

Allison nodded. She’d been planning on packing, anyway. Standing up, she made her way back up the stairs to her room, leaving Kol alone with his thoughts. Of course she was looking forward to getting out of town, but she had a vague sort of bad feeling about this trip that she couldn’t quite put her finger on.


	9. New Orleans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allison and Kol arrive in New Orleans. They meet with the other Mikaelson siblings.

It had been a long ride from Beacon Hills to New Orleans. It had probably seemed even longer as Allison had to spend the entire ride behind blackened windows. Kol had picked up on her annoyance and assured her that the French Quarter was full of witches who would be willing to make Allison a ring that would protect her from the deadly rays of the sun for the right price. The promise of being able to walk in the sunlight again took Allison from scowling miserably to smiling pleasantly. He always knew the right buttons to push, the right things to promise. Even if she knew the promise of a daylight ring was meant as a way to placate her, Allison still trusted Kol to deliver. He didn’t care about much, but she liked to think that he cared about her a little. It was why he hadn’t left her on her own in Beacon Hills while he took off on his own to see his family.

The two of them arrived in town with perfect timing. The sun was well on its way down, leaving only a dusky light in New Orleans. Allison stepped out of the van, drinking in her surroundings. The house Elijah had given them directions to was enormous and beautiful. It looked old, but not decrepit. It gave Allison the feeling that the place had a lot of history. Whether she was there for good or just staying for a short time, Allison didn’t think that she would mind living there. 

“I remember this place.” Allison turned to face Kol at the sound of his voice. He didn’t look like he had very fond memories of the giant house. Truthfully, with the way he’d looked when he told her that he was needed in New Orleans she hadn’t been expecting him to be very happy about being there. His frowning face was no surprise to her.

She stepped a little closer, narrowing the space between the two of them. “What happened here that has you looking the way you do?” Kol stared into space for a couple of seconds. When it finally looked like he was about to give her an answer, his gaze shifted to just over Allison’s shoulder.

“Nik,” His expression quickly became a smile. Allison whipped around to see who it was that Kol was greeting. The man was older than Kol in appearance, but perhaps not as old as Elijah looked. He had blonde hair instead of the dark hair Kol and Elijah had. His eyes found Allison’s and suddenly she felt a little awkward about picking apart his physical form. 

“Brother,” The blonde Kol had called Nik smiled and stepped close enough to rest his hand on Kol’s shoulder. Nik looked back to Allison maintaining his smile all the while. “And who is this?”

Allison smiled, giving a slight wave of her hand. “Allison. I’m Kol’s friend.” It came out so easily, but really she wasn’t sure anymore what she was to Kol. They’d gone from mere acquaintances to lovers in the span of a few months, but somehow it seemed right to introduce herself as a friend.

A female voice sounded, coming from the balcony on the other side of the courtyard. “Kol doesn’t _have_ friends. He has toys.”

Even though she hadn’t even technically been introduced to the young blonde woman, Allison was already irritated with what she’d implied. “I’m no one’s toy.” She glared. Behind her both Nik and Kol were laughing.

“I bet you’re not.” Nik grinned. “I see why Kol likes you.” With that, the blonde rolled her eyes, rushing with vampiric speed downstairs so that she would be on the same level as the rest of her family. 

“I didn’t catch your name.” Allison looked at the blonde, her expression softening from a glare to a small smile. She didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot even if she’d already shot a death glare in the girl’s direction.

“Rebekah.” Something about her seemed icy and Allison made a note to tread carefully around the girl. Maybe it was because she didn’t like strangers. As close as Allison was to Kol, she _was_ still a stranger to the rest of them.

“You’re not even fashionably late.” Elijah smiled, rounding a corner to stand with the rest of them. “I’m impressed.”

“I was under the impression that I was needed here.” Allison noticed Kol’s smile fading just a little bit. It was no secret that he’d dreaded this trip. She didn’t know all of the details just yet, but she knew that this was much more than just some family reunion.

“You are.” Nik said, his expression sobering a little, as well. “However, we will allow you some time to get settled.”

“I’d much prefer to know what’s going on right now.” Kol insisted. Allison had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. Already there was tension. There had been a small part of her that had clung to the hope that this would be a peaceful meeting of family members, but she now knew that hoping for such a thing was foolish. The rest of the Mikaelsons were just as stubborn as Allison knew Kol to be.

“Actually, I’d like to find my room.” Allison interjected before anything else could be said. It was uncomfortable being the odd girl out in the middle of a family squabble and the squabble hadn’t even really started yet. The brothers all exchanged glances as if they were declaring that they wouldn’t be the ones to show Allison to her room. Finally, they all looked to Rebekah and she simply rolled her eyes. 

“Fine. Catch Kol up on what our dear mother is up to and I’ll show Allison to her room.” Allison nodded, trying to smile in the middle of all of the tension, and grabbed her single suitcase from the trunk. Without another word, Rebekah walked into the house. She didn’t so much as glance over her shoulder to make sure that Allison was following. Allison was just expected to follow closely behind.

“You’ll be staying here.” Rebekah stepped just over the threshold of the room, gesturing inside. Allison nodded, looking over the room that would be her bedroom. It was nice. It wasn’t as big or as modern as the one she sometimes shared with Kol in Beacon Hills, but it was still nicer than the room she’d had when she was living with her father. 

Folding her arms across her chest, Rebekah looked back at Allison. “Are you one of his, then?” At first Allison didn’t know what Rebekah was talking about, but then it clicked. She was asking if Allison was one of the vampires Kol had turned. She nodded in response to the question, then shrugging her shoulders.

“How did _that_ happen?” It wasn’t really said in an incredulous tone. Instead, Rebekah just sounded genuinely curious.

“I was...” Allison trailed off with a sigh. She swallowed hard and continued. “I was dying. We’d all been in a fight and just as I got the best of one of _them_ one of them got the best of _me_. Kol gave me his blood.” 

Rebekah rolled her eyes with a smile. “That’s Kol. Turning the first pretty thing he sees.” It didn’t sound like she meant to offend Allison, but that was exactly what she did. For a moment, Allison didn’t even know what to say. All she did was shrug and laugh nervously. Something told her that she was more than a passing amusement to Kol, but she didn’t argue against Rebekah.

“I’d better unpack.” Allison made her way into the room with her suitcase rolling on its wheels behind her. She smiled appreciatively at Rebekah who smiled back and nodded, before making her exit.

It was much easier to lift heavy suitcases as a vampire. Allison had packed and unpacked so many bags in her life. That was the consequence of moving around so much. Never before did it seem so effortless, though, and that effortlessness wasn’t limited to the tangible goings-on. It had been surprisingly easy for her to leave Beacon Hills. Yes, there was the feeling that this move would be temporary, but she’d found it incredibly easy to leave that town and her former friends behind. There had been no backward glances when she and Kol had hit the road for New Orleans.

In spite of all of this, the very first thing Allison unpacked was a framed photograph of herself standing in between her parents, all of them smiling and unaware of the tough times ahead of them. She smiled a little when she set eyes on the photograph. Allison set it on the dresser next to her bed. 

She walked to her window that overlooked the courtyard to catch a glimpse of what was going on outside. She felt a little bit like a fly on a wall watching them. Even though she couldn’t hear what the Mikaelsons were saying to one another, she could tell that the mood was even more tense than it had been when she’d made her exit. It wasn’t that they all looked angry. It was something else that Allison was having trouble putting a name to. Then Kol turned and she was able to see his eyes. It was something she’d never seen before. Kol looked rattled. Almost frightened.


	10. Coffee and Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allison has the pleasure of meeting Esther for the first time and is given a message to relay to the Mikaelson vampires.

Allison wandered the sidewalks of New Orleans, looking very much like an out of place tourist. It had seemed right to get to know her surroundings, so she set out by herself. Every so often she found herself touching her new daylight ring with her fingertips. It was enchanted and allowed her to finally go out in the sunlight without fear of bursting into flames. Nik had arranged for it to be made for her. Of all of Kol’s siblings, Klaus seemed to take to her the most easily. He was somehow different from Kol, but still as mischievous as his brother. Allison had figured out that Rebekah and Elijah were the sensible ones in the group, though Rebekah seemed to be led into making decisions with her heart and Elijah made his with his head.

Finally, she spotted a cafe that looked more welcoming than all of the occult shops that lined the streets. She supposed that she should have been more used to the supernatural given the life she’d led even before she’d been turned into a supernatural creature herself, but it all still seemed odd and foreign. The cafe smelled like roasting coffee beans and the people inside were smiling.

Stepping up to the counter, Allison smiled pleasantly at the barista. “Medium latte, please?” She immediately began fishing around in her purse to find her wallet. In spite of Kol’s disapproval, Allison still liked to buy the things she drank and ate. Compulsion seemed too much like cheating. Of course, she had no problems with compelling the people she fed from to forget about her. Kol had teased her about her inconsistency on more than one occasion. That’s all it was, though. Teasing. He was never mean to her, especially not here in New Orleans. No, he had his mind on other things. His mother, for one. She seemed to be the source of a lot of worrying in the Mikaelsons’ home and Allison still hadn’t gotten a decent explanation on _why._

She exchanged money for her coffee and took a seat at a corner table where she would have privacy, but also a look at the goings on outside of the cafe. Allison had just begun to sip at her hot latte when a young woman with a pixie haircut sat down across from her. She didn’t know what to say, how to _politely_ convey the message that she’d been hoping to have some alone time and a nice coffee. Instead she just looked at the woman silently, confusion showing clearly in her expression.

“Hi,” The young woman, only a few years older than Allison in appearance, greeted Allison like her sitting there was the most natural and normal thing in the world. It made Allison even more unsure of how to react.

“Hi,” Allison smiled uncomfortably, shifting in her seat a little.

“Allison, right?” The young woman asked and Allison was suddenly very unsettled about how she was able to put the right name to the right face.

“That’s right.” She responded, eyebrows knotted with concern.

“I’d like to have a discussion with you about my son.” Those few words made Allison feel as if her heart had sunk to the very bottom of her gut. This had to be Esther, the one that all of the Mikaelsons seemed to fear. In an effort to avoid any and all danger to her life, Allison started to rise to her feet. As she tried to stand, Esther made a gesture with her hand and suddenly Allison felt as if she was being forced to sit down again. Even as she used all of her strength, she found herself frozen still in that chair. She gasped quietly, fear overcoming her. Whatever Esther was, she was powerful. For being so petite she was also extremely intimidating.

“You see, I made a grave mistake. I made them into what they are now when I was in the grips of fear that I would lose them. I had no idea what they would become.”

It was the history lesson Allison had never gotten from Kol. She knew that he was one of the first vampires, but had no idea how he came to be one. From what Esther was saying, it seemed that he was created by his mother. That in addition to Allison being unable to move pointed towards the woman being a witch.

“I only want to correct that mistake, Allison.” She smiled so warmly for someone so scary. “I want you to relay a message to my children. I wish to give them mortal lives in mortal bodies. They can live out their lives as they please, but die when their time comes.”

Allison blinked silently. “How? How can you do that?” She finally asked. Esther chuckled quietly.

“The same way I’m keeping you in that chair. Magic.” Esther leaned forward, folding her hands in front of her on the table. Allison nodded, wondering what the extent of this woman’s power was. It was no wonder Kol had been nervous, but surely _he_ could handle himself. Allison was a newly made vampire and he was one of the very first ones to ever walk the Earth. He had to be powerful enough to make himself safe from his mother. Didn’t he?

“Okay...” Allison exhaled slowly. “And what if they refuse?” She almost dreaded the answer because she just _knew_ that it wouldn’t be good.

“Then I’ll have to correct my mistake in another, more violent way.” Esther was suddenly dead serious. It gave Allison chills down her spine. “The world will be rid of vampires one way or another.” 

In spite of her intense fear, Allison managed to be a little curious. “All vampires? I thought... I thought you just wanted your children...” She wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion.

“Oh, he hasn’t really told you much at all, has he?” Esther smiled a little like a parent smiling at an incompetent child. “When an original vampire is killed, so go the rest of their line. Every vampire ever created by them, directly or indirectly, perishes.” 

Allison felt her eyes widen slightly. Now she knew what Esther was really saying. Kol would live out a mortal life in a mortal body and Allison would be no more. She hoped with all of her might that they would all survive this woman and her grim intentions.

“It’ll be a better world, Allison. Don’t think that I don’t know you regret ever becoming a vampire. It would be divine release for you. You would no longer have to live as an abomination.” The words stung because there was some truth to them. Allison truly did wish that she was still living a normal, human life, but there was no way to make that happen.

“I trust you’ll deliver my message.” Esther smiled, a little more warmly this time, and with a gesture of her hand Allison no longer felt as if she was pinned to her chair. “I only hope that my children will make the right decision.” She sighed. “Well, I won’t keep you. The sooner they hear what needs to be done the better.” With that, Esther rose to her feet and calmly left the cafe. Allison, though, sat there in silence for several minutes, soaking in all that had just happened.

Finally, with her coffee growing colder by the second, Allison rose to her feet. She walked out of the place, absentmindedly leaving her latte on the table she had been sitting at. Allison made a beeline back to the Mikaelsons’ home, unable to get rid of the look of mild horror on her face.

“Kol...” She said in a normal, conversational tone as if by some miracle he’d hear her and come to her aid. Allison stood in the center of the courtyard, feeling more distressed by the moment. “Kol!” She shouted, eyes darting from door to door and window to window. She needed him more than ever right then. It surprised her slightly when he rushed to her side with vampiric speed.

“What is it?” He asked her in a gentle tone of voice. Even Kol could sometimes tell when it was right to be hard or soft with his voice and mannerisms. It seemed that he could tell more easily when it was Allison he was interacting with.

“Your mother... Esther...” Allison had a hard time finding her words, but at the mention of his mother’s name Allison saw Kol become a little more rigid and concerned. “She spoke to me. She... _Made_ me just sit there and listen...” With every word Allison uttered, she became more and more distressed.

“She wants to make all of you mortal.” At that, Kol simply rolled his eyes. “And she wants to kill me in the process.” Allison swallowed hard, trying to push the lump in her throat downwards. Kol suddenly became more severe. She could see him radiating anger and the intensity of his response caught Allison off-guard.

“She won’t.” He stated simply. “I promise you, she won’t.” Allison couldn’t take it anymore. Everything about that moment was so damned overwhelming. She started to cry and buried her face in his shoulder. His words didn’t convince her. She’d seen firsthand what Esther would do simply to get Allison to listen to her. She was certain that Esther would use even more powerful magic to rid the world of vampires. Kol was surprised by Allison’s reaction. She always prided herself on being so strong and steely. To see her cry was truly upsetting. He did all he could do, wrapping an arm around her and stroking her hair.

“I won’t let you die.” His voice was a mere whisper, but it was enough to make Allison feel a little safer. Her crying died down, but she remained close to Kol. They’d all have to find a way to get through this together or they wouldn’t get through it at all.


	11. Wake Me Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kol has a plan that Allison refuses to follow.

Allison woke to the sound of her belongings being shuffled around. She opened her eyes and saw two members of the house staff folding her clothes and laying them neatly into a big suitcase. Her eyebrows wrinkled in confusion and she sat up, glancing quickly to see that it was only six in the morning.

“What’s going on?” She asked one of the women in a hoarse, half-asleep voice.

“We’re packing your things.” The woman answered matter-of-factly. Allison shook her head, looking very confused. She turned so that her legs hung off the side of the mattress and stood.

“What for? I mean... Where am I going?” Her voice had a hint of panic in it. She grabbed the one woman’s arms to force her to stop packing.

“Home.” An answer came in a familiar voice from the doorway. Allison lifted her eyes to see Kol. She frowned and let go of the woman’s arms, folding her own arms across her chest. 

_“Home?”_ She looked more than a little angered by all of it. “I don’t have a home anymore, Kol. You’re not going to ship me off to Beacon Hills just because you’re tired of me.” He raised his eyebrows and took a step closer to her.

“Is that what you think this is? Me becoming tired of you?” It had surprised him, though he knew it shouldn’t have. He hadn’t always presented himself as the most caring individual.

“Isn’t that what it is?” Her voice lowered slightly. She wanted so badly for it to be some other reason. All he had to do was give her another reason and she would gladly believe it.

“I’m keeping you _safe_ , Allison. Away from my psychotic mother and her magic.” When he said the words it felt as if a weight had been lifted from Allison’s shoulders. The grief of being tossed aside had melted away. It was replaced with frustration.

“I’m not any more safe away from here than I am being here.” She wrinkled her eyebrows in an almost angry way. “If she kills you, I’ll die no matter where I am.” Kol shook his head, getting just as frustrated as Allison was.

“I don’t plan on dying anytime soon, darling. You, however, are far more breakable than I am. You’re going back to Beacon Hills where you’ll be safe.” Kol looked over Allison’s shoulder to the two women who had been packing. They’d stopped their work to eavesdrop on the couple. With a simple glare from Kol, they resumed their work.

“I’m not leaving. You can’t make me.” Despite her best efforts, Allison’s eyes filled with tears. It didn’t go unnoticed.

“I can.” Kol’s voice softened. He really didn’t want to compel Allison. It broke the trust the two of them shared. She had to be safe, though. He would never have forgiven himself if something happened to her.

Immediately, Allison realized what he was talking about. Her eyes widened slightly. “No,” She shook her head. “Don’t compel me. Kol... I want to stay. I want to _help_. I won’t do any good in Beacon Hills. I’d be on the opposite side of the country.” A tear rolled down her cheek and she impatiently wiped it away. “If you want to protect me, protect me right here by my side.” 

She looked so sad that it melted Kol’s heart. He knew that his choice to turn her had caused the collapse of her friendships and even destroyed the relationship she had with her father. If he sent her home she would have no one. She would be more than lonely. She would be completely and utterly alone. Kol stepped closer to her and brushed a strand of hair from her face. He leaned in and gave her the gentlest of kisses.

“Very well. You will not, however, be involved in any plans we might think of to get rid of my mother.” He took her hand in his, smiling faintly as if he was amused by Allison having won the argument. Allison, however, looked less pleased.

“Why not? You all need all the help you can get. Even if I was nothing more than a decoy, you could use me!” Kol’s smile faded.

“I’m letting you stay here on the condition that you will not be a part of taking my mother out. Don’t make me change my mind.” He let her hand go. Allison gritted her teeth angrily, but simply nodded. Kol looked over Allison’s shoulder to address the two women who were still packing Allison’s belongings. “She will be staying. Unpack her things.” Without objection or complaint, the two women began to unpack Allison’s clothes and toiletries. Allison suspected that the two of them had been compelled.

With that, Kol turned and began walking out of the room. He hadn’t been expecting Allison to chase after him. “Wait!” He kept walking down the hallway and she followed him, not caring that she was only wearing pajama shorts and a tank top. It didn’t matter to her this time whether or not Kol’s siblings saw her in bedclothes. Kol turned to look at her, but was growing more impatient by the second.

“What?” He snapped, his expression reading pure frustration. Allison was caught off guard for a moment, but composed herself to give him an answer.

“If any of you come up with a plan that involves me... Please, just think it over.” She looked at him pleadingly. Her expression prompted him to soften his. He nodded, not saying anything out loud. It killed him to think that the one person he cared about could be taken away from him in an instant just because his mother was throwing a tantrum. Part of him still wanted to send her back home while another couldn’t _bear_ to part with her.


	12. Arrowhead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Allison's responsibility to destroy Esther and ultimately save the Original family and their bloodlines.

There had been a distinct change in atmosphere at the Mikaelson household since Allison had first shown up and it was as clear as day. She knew that it was because of her encounter with Esther and the fears that it brought up for her hosts. It was why, she assumed, they were all gathered in the courtyard talking in low voices. Allison had hidden herself behind a beam listening to them, making full use of her enhanced hearing. Some parts of being a vampire were extremely useful.

“Is she going to do it? Does she really intend to make each of us mortal?” Rebekah asked her brothers. She tried to keep her voice even but even Allison could hear the hint of fear in her tone. The younger vampire could understand how Rebekah could be afraid of such a thing. To have eternity snatched out from underneath you had to be scary. To suddenly be mortal and promised death after having lived as an immortal for so long... That had to be _terrifying._ Of course, out of all of them, Rebekah was the one Allison imagined enjoying a mortal life most of all. That’s why the fear caught Allison slightly off guard.

“I assure you, sister. If our mother said it then she surely intends to carry out her will.” Elijah responded in a gentle voice, placing a hand on Rebekah’s shoulder. He was the older brother Allison wished she’d had. Though with the Mikaelsons having taken her in as they had, perhaps in time he would become more like her brother. This, of course, was assuming she lived to see the day such a thing would happen.

“Allison,” Kol called out her name and Allison became rigid with anxiety. How had he known she’d been listening in? “If you’re going to be snooping about, you might as well be a part of the conversation.”

Almost meekly, Allison rounded the corner from behind the beam and walked over to the Mikaelson siblings. She gave a faint, tentative smile that was returned by Kol specifically to show that he wasn’t angry with her for spying on their conversation.

“The only way out of this mess is to kill our mother.” Kol declared, folding his arms across his chest. There was a look on his face that said he was dead serious. No one had any objections. It made Allison wonder how terrible a relationship they all must have had with Esther. She was, after all, their mother. How badly did she screw things up with them? What kind of woman was she that she would have rather seen them all die? This was the very definition of a dysfunctional family.

“And how do you suggest we kill one of the most powerful witches out there, dear brother?” Rebekah snapped at Kol. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could Klaus spoke up, voicing an idea of his own.

“We make sure that she _isn’t_ one of the most powerful witches.” Klaus had a smile on his face like he knew something the others didn’t. While Elijah waited for an explanation patiently, both Rebekah and Kol looked on like he couldn’t explain fast enough for their taste. Allison was silent, listening and waiting to formulate ideas of her own.  
“If we turn her, she will no longer be a witch. All that power she had at her fingertips will be gone. She will be turned into the thing she hates the most.” Everyone seemed pleased with Kol’s plan, but Elijah had questions.

“And how are we to get vampire blood into our mother’s system before we kill her?” The smiles that had formed on the Mikaelsons’ faces a moment before all faded a bit. It would definitely be difficult to execute this plan. Allison, however, finally took the chance to speak up.

“I have an idea.” She raised her hand to her mouth, nibbling on her thumbnail anxiously. If they approved of her plan, she would be an integral part in taking Esther down. It would be dangerous and unwise to mess with such a powerful wish, but if she didn’t do it she could very well wind up dead. The Mikaelsons all leaned in, listening to what Allison had to say.

* * *

It was the next day that the Mikaelsons agreed to meet with their mother under the pretense of wanting to undergo her ritual. They knew she’d never agree to meet at their home, so they met on her territory - The New Orleans Cemetery where she’d been hiding out. Perhaps it was foolish of them to meet on her home turf. She definitely had the advantage there. Allison, though, had assured them that it wouldn’t matter where they’d meet. Her plan would have an even chance of succeeding or failing anywhere in the city.

Esther was smiling when they rounded the corner and saw her standing alone. She looked like she’d already won and, in her mind, she had. Her children all wore expressions of false surrender on their faces. 

“My children,” Esther held out her arms as if she wanted to hug them all, but only Rebekah moved in for the embrace. Her sons all kept a respectful distance. “I am so glad you’ve agreed to do this. We can finally be a family again. Rebekah,” She brushed a strand of long, blonde hair out of her daughter’s face as the hug dissolved. “You can finally have a family of your own as I know you have always desired.” 

Rebekah smiled, a hint of sadness in her smile as she knew it would never happen, but she nodded with her mother’s statement and took a step backward to stand with her siblings. “How will this work, mother?”

“First, we must go about finding you all suitable host bodies like I have done for myself, then--” But Esther was cut off by an arrow flying through the air, stabbing her in the fleshy part of her upper arm. She let out a howl of pain, her gaze snapping in the direction the arrow had come from. There was Allison, perched atop a mausoleum with her bow and a quiver of arrows. 

As soon as she was spotted, Allison looked terrified. She could remember that incident in the cafe when Esther had her completely helpless with magic. Esther jerked the arrow out of her arm, letting it drop unceremoniously to the ground. She reached out with her other arm and swatted at the air, causing Allison to go flying from her perch and land hard on the ground, slamming into the side of another crypt. 

“I won’t help my son’s mistake keep me from saving my family from damnation!” Esther declared as she charged after Allison who lay dazed on the ground. Before she could do the young vampire any more harm, however, Kol came up behind his mother and snapped her neck.

“And I won’t have you harming her any further.” Kol said, muttering the words almost under his breath. He stepped over his mother’s corpse and held out a hand to Allison, assisting her to her feet. She groaned as she stood, placing a hand over the wound on her head where it had smacked the marble of the mausoleum and removing it to reveal blood. It would take a little time and patience for it to heal, but she was a vampire. She would heal much faster than she would were she a human being.

“Did you do it as we’d planned?” Klaus asked from a few feet away, stepping closer to Allison. She nodded.

“I put my blood on the arrowhead before I fired it at her. There was vampire blood in her system before Kol snapped her neck. When she wakes up she’ll be in transition.” Allison stooped down, collecting her quiver of arrows and treasured bow.

“If I didn’t think it would cause a war between myself and my brother I would kiss you right here and right now, Allison. Thank you for your assistance.” Klaus smirked, only joking of course. Allison let out an uneasy laugh and shook her head.

“I just want to get home and take a bath. Being thrown into a building creates some interesting aches and pains.” Her hand found its way to the small of her back, rubbing at it gently. Kol stepped closer to her, kissing her forehead in an uncharacteristic display of affection.

“Room for two in that bath, then?” He winked flirtatiously at her and Allison only laughed.

“We’ll see.” She linked her fingers in with Kol’s and the two of them walked out of the cemetery, leaving the other siblings to collect Esther’s body.


End file.
